ESPN: Arkansas has unhappiest fan base in SEC

ESPN recently released its “happiness index,” which uses certain criteria to gauge the fan sentiment at 128 FBS programs. No surprise Alabama tops the SEC, but, apparently, there are some sad hogs at Arkansas.

In other words, if your team has been a winner consistently for the last four seasons, then, congratulations, you and all your fellow fans are happy.

ESPN=Captain Obvious.

Ill. cures all wins

Ohio State, Florida State, and Alabama are the top 3 happiest fan bases. Some surprises, though, in the top 10 include Appalachian State (No. 10) and Northwestern (No. 9). Why Northwestern?

Coaching stability (Pat Fitzgerald), 10 wins in three out of the past five seasons, and winners of four of the past meetings against Illinois.

Wait. Illinois?

I submit the reason Northwestern fans are happy is that the bar isn’t set that high (Illinois?).

Arkan-sad?

As mentioned, the unhappiest fan base in the SEC is not probation-bound Ole Miss but Arkansas. The index suggests that the SEC West has taken its toll on the Razorback fans. Perhaps putting Illinois in the SEC West would help make everyone happy … except for Illinois.

Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain has signed a deal to join Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan as an assistant on offense. McElwain is scheduled to start work Sunday and will coach the Wolverines' receivers.

Arkansas State has filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami saying Miami has refused to reschedule a game that was postponed last September due to Hurricane Irma. The game had been scheduled for Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Ole Miss has filed its appeal of the NCAA committee on infractions' decision to ban football from the postseason in 2018, limit unofficial recruiting visits and cite the school for lack of institutional control in a case involving 21 violations.